Las Vegas, NV — After a rare off night in the series opener, A’ja Wilson delivered a commanding performance Tuesday, scoring 25 points with nine rebounds to propel the Las Vegas Aces to a 90-68 win over the Indiana Fever in Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals. The victory ties the best-of-five series at one game apiece, with Game 3 set for Friday in Indianapolis.
Wilson, who had struggled two nights earlier by hitting just 6 of 22 shots, bounced back by converting 10 of 18 from the field while also recording a playoff career-high five steals. Her energy set the tone for Las Vegas, which looked far sharper than in its 89-73 loss to open the series.
“We didn’t panic after Game 1,” Wilson said. “We’ve been through tough losses before. Tonight, we just came ready to work and play the right way.”
Las Vegas spread the scoring around as well. NaLyssa Smith, facing her former team, was nearly flawless with 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting. Jackie Young added 13 points, while Jewell Loyd, Dana Evans, and Chelsea Gray chipped in 10 each, with Gray also dishing out 10 assists. The Aces shot an impressive 53.8% as a team and capitalized on Indiana’s mistakes, turning turnovers and offensive boards into 42 points.
Indiana, already short-handed due to a lengthy injury list, leaned on Odyssey Sims, who scored 18 points, and Lexie Hull, who battled through a back injury to contribute 15 off the bench. Kelsey Mitchell, coming off a 34-point outburst in Game 1, was limited to 13 points on just 4-for-14 shooting. Rookie standout Aliyah Boston added 10.
Fever coach Stephanie White credited Las Vegas for dictating the pace from the opening tip. “They came in physical and aggressive, and we were reactive,” White said. “Against a championship-caliber team, you can’t afford to give them that kind of cushion.”
The Aces, the No. 2 seed, had stumbled in their playoff opener against Seattle before finding their rhythm. On Tuesday, they looked much closer to the squad that closed the regular season on a 16-game winning streak, leading by as many as 26 points and responding to every Indiana rally with scoring bursts of their own.
Coach Becky Hammon said she trusted her team to settle in when the Fever tried to claw back. “I’m fiery on the sidelines, but they’re calm when it matters,” Hammon said. “They know how to handle pressure.”
Despite being undermanned—superstar Caitlin Clark remains out, and six players in total are sidelined—the Fever continue to fight. They upset third-seeded Atlanta in the first round and now return home with the chance to retake control of the series.
Hull admitted she’s still playing through discomfort but shrugged it off as part of playoff basketball. “Everyone’s sore this time of year,” she said. “You just push through.”
